mình
[mïŋ˨˩]
In Vietnamese, 'myself' can be expressed as mình or tự.
Meaning: me, reflexive form of me (pron)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| mình | [mïŋ˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [mɨn˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
| tự | [tɨ˧˨ʔ] (Hà Nội, narrow) [tɨ˨˩ʔ] (Huế, narrow) |
The word mình is a reflexive pronoun used to refer back to the speaker or to refer to 'oneself' in a more personal or intimate way. The word tự functions as an adverb to indicate that an action is performed by the subject alone or without help, and it also acts as a prefix meaning 'self-' in many compound words, such as 'self-respect' or 'automatic'.
Which one should you use?
While tự emphasizes the act of doing something alone (by oneself), mình is a reflexive pronoun used to refer back to the speaker or to refer to 'oneself' in a more personal or intimate way.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word tự is used as an adverb to indicate that an action is performed by the subject alone or without help.
Did you know?
- Beyond meaning 'myself', mình is frequently used between romantic partners or close friends as a sweet and intimate way to say 'you' or 'I'.
- The word tự is a linguistic shapeshifter that can mean 'self', 'since', or even 'character/letter' depending on which ancient Chinese root it descends from.
Examples in context
- Tôi đã tự vệ.I defended myself.This sentence demonstrates the use of tự.Tatoeba #13599295 by leucammieuvu, translation #5859503 by CK
- Tôi sẽ tự làm.I'll do that by myself.Tatoeba #13249789 by leucammieuvu, translation #5916639 by CK
- Tôi tự viết nó.I wrote it myself.Tatoeba #13858654 by Anthea_Phan, translation #2549130 by CK
- Em tự xưng là người Việt Nam.I refer to myself as a Vietnamese person.
- Em tự xưng tên là Minh.I refer to myself as Minh.
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hùng and Hương are talking about a difficult task at work.
- HùngBạn có cần tôi giúp một tay không?Do you need a hand from me?
- HươngKhông sao, mình tự làm được.It's okay, I can do it myself.
- HùngĐừng quá sức nhé, Hương.Don't overwork yourself, Huong.
- HươngCảm ơn Hùng, mình sẽ cẩn thận.Thanks Hung, I will be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “myself” translations and entries mình, tự, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mình, tự, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
